


Wayward Hearts

by JayCKx



Category: Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Written Pre-Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28000632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayCKx/pseuds/JayCKx
Summary: The interactions of Sybilus and Paul, and how they form a relationship.Paul looks… nervous, hopeful, endlessly patient, and above allkind. His eyes are just as friendly and warm behind their glasses as they've ever been. Sybilus relaxes a little, on instinct, and smiles."Well… okay," he eventually says, shyly, happily. Paul beams at him, brighter than the sun overhead.
Relationships: Sybilus Silver II/Paul Schue-Horyn
Comments: 13
Kudos: 40





	Wayward Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> The lack of Sypaul in this world is criminal.

Sybilus introduces himself to the man in the brightly striped hoodie, Paul, who beams and easily says, “Wait, what? That’s your name? That’s the coolest name I’ve ever heard in my whole life, you wanna be my friend?” This is the first time anybody has ever said anything of the sort to Sybilus upon meeting him, so is special in two ways. One: nobody has ever called his name cool—people always seem to think it’s overly long or pretentious and rarely bother to pronounce it correctly. Two: nobody has ever immediately wanted to be his friend before. Sybilus is always too quiet, or dresses too formally, or stutters too much, or is just generally… strange and unlikable. It’s always been that way, and so this immediate request for friendship throws him for a loop. He’s not sure such an abrupt and upfront way of asking to be somebody’s friend is the usual way people go about it, but it’s not like he's the expert here, and besides it sparked such immediate joy in him that he’s not going to complain. He stutters for a few seconds, surprised, then manages to say, “Well… okay,” and genuinely smile.

After a few minutes of idle, surprisingly pleasant chatter, Paul asks if he’d like to be interviewed for a podcast. Normally Sybilus would decline, too nervous his stuttering would ruin it (especially since the interview will be in audio form), but something about Paul makes him easy to talk to. His dark eyes are unrepentantly kind behind his glasses, and his affable cheerfulness and lack of judgement puts Sybilus at ease. Furthermore, Paul seems genuinely interested in Sybilus and what he has to say, which is rare as people don’t usually think an accountant or their job could be very interesting. Sybilus finds himself at peace in the other man’s company, therefore stuttering less, and so ends up agreeing startlingly quickly. Paul shuffles closer, Sybilus leans into the microphone, and when they start the interview he is honestly happy.

...Which doesn’t last very long, given that Paul begins asking about werewolves after the very first question. Sybilus’ smile falls and he cringes back, staring at the man in shock. Sybilus’ greatest and most dangerous secret, and here Paul is, pinpointing it and dragging it out of him within 5 minutes of them meeting. Thankfully Paul doesn’t seem to suspect that Sybilus himself is a werewolf, only that there _are_ wolves living in the town; he’s far too excited and hyped about the idea for Sybilus’ comfort. He hates the idea that if this podcaster spreads the knowledge that Connor Creek is filled with werewolves to the world then Sybilus will be used as a source, or a reference, as if he betrayed his pack by confirming the truth when really he couldn’t even get past his stutter to say much of anything at all. But it’s not just _that_ fear which makes his mood flip so suddenly—it’s the sudden realisation that Paul _doesn’t_ care about Sybilus himself, that he just wants to use Sybilus to talk about another topic entirely. That hurts more than it should, given that they barely know each other.

So when Silas demands his presence, Sybilus jumps on the opportunity to run away without looking back. It’s a shame, though—every time he’d looked at Paul, which had been often during their encounter, he’d felt happy, like he was unable to stop smiling. He had truly wanted to be Paul’s friend. 

Then comes a bizarre blur of events that Sybilus can barely keep track of. More people are murdered by a wolf nobody seems to know (he mourns especially hard for Odie Doty; his friend, his pack, a truly kind person), Paul is turned into a werewolf himself, and the townspeople of Connor Creek realise the existence of and begin fearing werewolves. Then Barney is killed in the town hall and suddenly there’s a wolf hunt beginning and Sybilus is _afraid_. They realise they need allies— _friends_ —and that Paul and Artemis Schue-Horyn are their best bets. Sybilus both fears how the meeting might go, and yet is almost… excited. He hopes the siblings believe them, hopes they will be on their side, wants Paul to befriend him without a looming secret this time. He thinks he might have been wrong about Paul not caring about him in their first meeting, about him only wanting to talk to Sybilus about werewolves for the podcast; at least, he hopes he was wrong. Thankfully the meeting goes, well, _relatively_ according to plan. The Schue-Horyns believe their innocence, and beyond that Paul’s presence continues to put Sybilus at ease—the man is funny, even in serious situations, and furthermore he sticks by them even when Artemis walks away. He chooses them over his sister, calls them ‘his people,’—a rift between the siblings is the last thing Sybilus wants, but some part of him is stupidly pleased by Paul being so steadfastly on their side, so determined to stay with them. He doesn’t put much thought into why; there are, after all, bigger things to be focusing on.

But after everything, after Truman and the townspeople and all the fighting, when peace has descended upon Connor Creek again, there’s time to think. And there’s time to hang out with Paul—the siblings have decided to stay longer in Connor Creek, something Sybilus is delighted about simply because he enjoys the company so much. Paul is essentially pack now, anyway, despite being turned by a MacMahon and not a Connor. He proved he was on their side time and again, and Sybilus is pleased to now know, for a fact, that they are friends. Good friends! Not quite _best_ friends—nobody can surpass Rita for that spot—but even if Paul managed to Sybilus feels that the label wouldn’t quite fit. He’s not sure how he feels about the other man; it’s very positive, obviously, he likes Paul very much, but it’s different to how he feels about everyone else in the town. He doesn’t worry too much about it, though, focusing instead on spending as much time with Paul as he can. 

They’re sitting on a bench outside the Dead Canary together one day, so close their shoulders are almost touching, just gazing over at the town. The day is bright and warm, the azure sky clear and the townsfolk bustling around. Sybilus has shrugged off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves in the heat, and Paul has gone without his usual colourful hoodie. They can hear Jeremiah down the road imploring some poor fellow to come to church, watch Dr. Henry stumble into the bar and later listen to Quinn yell at him to eat his lunch, and at one point see Artemis stepping out of the flower shop with a pretty bouquet and a determined edge in her step, heading in the direction of the sheriff’s department. They both smile at the sight.

“So, I was thinking,” Paul says casually. Sybilus hums for him to continue. “I’m a werewolf, you’re a werewolf.”

“Y-yes, that seems to be the situation—er, case,” Sybilus replies, amused.

"And we're both totally great friends," Paul continues. Sybilus nods; Paul is acting... strange.

"But, I _kind of_ like you as much more than a friend," Paul rushes after a pause, "So… do you wanna maybe be my boyfriend?"

Sybilus stares at him, registering. His mouth begins to run before he's realised what's happening, trying to form words and failing. How does Paul always manage to rush into things so straightforward and optimistic? And how does it always _work_ when he's interacting with Sybilus? He blushes, looks away from Paul, then automatically drags his gaze back up like Paul is a magnet. Paul looks… nervous, hopeful, endlessly patient, and above all _kind_. His eyes are just as friendly and warm behind their glasses as they've ever been. Sybilus relaxes a little, on instinct, and smiles.

"Well… okay," he eventually says, shyly, _happily_. Paul beams at him, brighter than the sun overhead.

"Great!" he cheers, looking delighted. Sybilus can't stop staring embarrassingly lovingly at him—in the span of one minute Sybilus has figured out his own true feelings, due to them being reciprocated and acted on. How… is this real life? Nothing has ever gone this well for him, this easily, this simply and happily. So much is happening right now! He feels almost overwhelmed.

But then Paul slides his hand into Sybilus' and links their fingers together, cautious but unafraid, and Sybilus stops worrying about it. He blinks at Paul, then smiles and squeezes their hands gently. Paul's gaze turns impossibly soft, and when they finally look away from each other and return to watching the town together, content and now fizzing with quiet joy, Sybilus is brave enough to lean his head down and rest it on Paul's shoulder. Paul just tilts his head in reply until it's brushing the top of Sybilus', comfortable and sweet. Sybilus thinks all of a sudden that maybe _this_ is his happy ending. And you know what? He wouldn't change it for the world.


End file.
